I/O Driven Node Commissioning in a Sleeping Mesh Network

1. A method of operating a wireless mesh network, comprising: individually actuating a neighbor wireless mesh network node in proximity to a second node to be added to the mesh network, causing the neighbor wireless mesh network to be woke from a synchronized sleep state prior to a scheduled synchronized wake period of a sleep schedule, wherein the actuation is selective of the neighbor wireless mesh network node actuated; and adding the second node to the wireless mesh network, the second node exchanging data, including the sleep schedule, with the neighbor wireless mesh network node to join the network; wherein, after the second node joins the network, the second node and the neighbor wireless mesh network node return to a sleep state until a next scheduled synchronized wake period according to the sleep schedule; wherein the sleep schedule coordinates sleep periods and synchronized wake periods such that the neighbor wireless mesh network node, the second node, and one or more other wireless mesh network nodes are awake at the same time.

2. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1 , wherein actuating the neighbor wireless mesh network node comprises at least one of sending an interrupt, sending an I/O signal, and sending a network signal to the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

3. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1 , wherein the sleep state comprises an extended state of inactivity lasting longer than five minutes, configured to preserve battery life in the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

4. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1 , further comprising returning at least one of the neighbor wireless mesh network node and the second node to a coordinated sleep state once the second node has joined the network.

5. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1 , wherein the second node is further operable to indicate it has successfully joined the network.

6. The method of operating a wireless mesh network of claim 1 , wherein exchanging data comprises exchanging one or more of network ID, sleep period, and neighboring node data.

7. A wireless mesh network, comprising: a plurality of wireless mesh network nodes having a synchronized sleep state to conserve power, at least one of the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes operable to wake from the synchronized sleep state prior to a scheduled synchronized wake period of a sleep schedule upon individual actuation and to join a new or replacement second node to the mesh network by exchanging data, including the sleep schedule, with the new or replacement second node, wherein the actuation is selective of a single wireless mesh network node of the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes; wherein, after the new or replacement second node joins the mesh network, the at least one wireless mesh network node and the new or replacement second node are configured to enter a sleep state until a next scheduled synchronized wake period according to the sleep schedule; wherein the sleep schedule coordinates sleep periods and synchronized wake periods such that the at least one wireless mesh network node, the new or replacement node, and the other wireless mesh network nodes of the plurality of wireless mesh network nodes are awake at the same time.

8. The wireless mesh network of claim 7 , wherein actuating the wireless mesh network node comprises at least one of sending an interrupt, sending an I/O signal, and sending a network signal to the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

9. The wireless mesh network of claim 7 , wherein the synchronized sleep state comprises an extended state of inactivity lasting longer than five minutes, configured to preserve battery life in the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

10. The wireless mesh network of claim 7 , at least one of the nodes operable to wake and the new or replacement second node operable to return to a synchronized sleep state once the second node has joined the network.

11. The wireless mesh network of claim 7 , wherein the new or replacement second node is further operable to indicate it has successfully joined the network.

12. The wireless mesh network of claim 7 , wherein exchanging data comprises exchanging one or more of network ID, sleep period, and neighboring node data.

13. A wireless mesh network node comprising: a transceiver configured to transmit and receive data when the wireless mesh network node is in an awake state; at least one of an input/output (I/O) or an interrupt line; the wireless mesh network node having a sleep state synchronized with a plurality of other mesh network nodes to conserve power, the wireless mesh network node operable to wake from the synchronized sleep state prior to a scheduled synchronized wake period of a sleep schedule upon individual actuation and to add a new or replacement second node to the mesh network by exchanging data, including the sleep schedule, with the new or replacement second node, wherein the actuation is selective of the wireless mesh network node actuated; wherein, after the new or replacement second node is added to the mesh network, the at least one wireless mesh network node and the new or replacement second node are configured to enter a sleep state until a next scheduled synchronized wake period according to the sleep schedule; wherein the individual actuation includes a state change on the I/O or interrupt line; wherein the sleep schedule coordinates sleep periods and synchronized wake periods such that the wireless mesh network node, the new or replacement node, and the plurality of other wireless mesh network nodes are awake at the same time.

14. The wireless mesh network node of claim 13 , wherein actuating the wireless mesh network node comprises at least one of sending an interrupt, sending an I/O signal, and sending a network signal to the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

15. The wireless mesh network node of claim 13 , wherein the synchronized sleep state comprises an extended state of inactivity lasting longer than five minutes, configured to preserve battery life in the neighbor wireless mesh network node.

16. The wireless mesh network node of claim 13 , the wireless mesh network node operable to return to a synchronized sleep state once the new or replacement second node has joined the network.

17. The wireless mesh network node of claim 13 , wherein exchanging data comprises exchanging one or more of network ID, sleep period, and neighboring node data with the new or replacement second node.